SCHUMANN Video by HaDEA
Want to learn how #HorizonEU is driving a competitive and dynamic EU Future Space Ecosystem? Meet Pierre Letier and SCHUMANN, a #HorizonEU-funded project dedicated to enhancing Europe’s capabilities in In-Space Operations and Services (#ISOS).
🎥 Watch the video here:. SCHUMANN HaDEA Video
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Refuel Tank EM Testing
Space Applications Services and GMV visited their partners at Ariane Group in Lampoldshausen, Germany, to conduct the first integration tests of the Engineering Model (EM) of the refuel functional module tank. The tests focused on verifying the fluidic sub-systems and the active control of the components and sequence of operations using ESROCOS. In July, the tests will be repeated with the selected fluidic connectors, which are planned to be embedded in the HOTDOCK interface.
SCHUMANN PDR
On April 16th, the SCHUMANN Consortium successfully passed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) milestone. The meeting took place at the premises of Space Applications Services, with the full Consortium, the European Commission (EC), and an external expert in attendance. Following this milestone, the first testing of the refuel FSM tank module will begin, aiming to validate the functional behavior of the components and their integration.
SCHUMANN @ the SSSIF in Malaga
We had the pleasure of presenting the SCHUMANN project at the SSSIF 2024 Conference (Small Satellites & Services International Forum), held in Malaga, Spain, from February 20th to 22nd. The project was showcased during the session titled “Market and Future Vision of Small Satellite Platforms,” where it garnered interest from the panel. Concurrently, we established several contacts with component suppliers and small satellite integrators//
Participation to the ESA ASTRA Symposium
The SCHUMANN project was presented during the bi-annually  Advanced Space Technologies in Robotics and Automation (ASTRA) symposium held by the Automation and Robotics (A&R) section of the European Space Agency (ESA). Our project was showcased during the poster sessions. The event provided a valuable platform for fostering meaningful connections and engaging discussions with the workshop participants, including researchers and industrial partners. We look forward to furthering these connections and exploring potential collaborations to drive the project’s success.
Progress Meeting Two
On the 10th of October, the SCHUMANN Progress Meeting 2 was organized at the facilities of our partner, ReOrbit, in Helsinki, Finland. During this meeting, we discussed the design status of the RTa module and the DSSCK, paving the way for the implementation phase of the project. This was also a wonderful opportunity to savor the culinary specialties of Finland.
Visit to Ariane Group Lampoldshausen
On the 20th of September, Space Applications Services visited Ariane Group at Lampoldshausen. The meeting was focusing on the technical activities for the development of the Refueling tank module and the test setup of SCHUMANN. A visit of the facilities has been organized, the occasion to see the propulsion testing facilities, as well as the vibration testing laboratory that should be used in the SCHUMANN validation phase.
SCHUMANN Workshop
The SCHUMANN SCK Workshop was organized on June 13, 2023, in the offices of Space Applications Services, with the presence of the SCHUMANN Consortium, and remote access provided to external participants. The attendees comprised the SCHUMANN Team, representatives from the European Commission, parallel European projects, large system integrators, companies from the NewSpace sector, and research centers and other initiatives.
This workshop was organized at an early stage of the SCHUMANN project, with the purpose to actively engage interested parties, and obtain early feedback, to support the development process. More specifically, the target was to:
- disseminate the project objectives and activities to relevant stakeholders
- better understand functional satellite modules builder’s needs, constraints and challenges
- get information and discuss of other relevant initiatives and opportunities
- discuss on the NewSpace perspective and future space ecosystem
The workshop was very successful and provided us very good inputs for the follow-up of the activity.
System Requirements Review Milestone Achieved
We successfully completed the System Requirement Review milestone on March 14, 2023. This important step allowed us to consolidate the system requirements for the Refuel Tank Module and the DSSCK, the two main components of our project. With this milestone accomplished, we are now ready to move forward into the design phase.
SCHUMANN Project Kicks Off
The SCHUMANN Project Kick-Off Meeting was successfully held on January 17, 2023, at Space Applications Services headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. With full participation from all partners and the Project Officer from the European Commission, the meeting effectively aligned everyone on project goals and encouraged team collaboration. Productive discussions took place, facilitating idea exchange and project organisation. The meeting laid a strong foundation, leaving the team energised and motivated to start the work.
Space Applications Services is coordinating the project, along with other partners consisting of ReOrbit, ArianeGroup, GMV in Defense and Security and FZI Forschungszentrum Informatik. ✨
The project addresses new scalable satellite platform concepts and building blocks increasing the degree of satellite modularisation. SCHUMANN aims to strengthen the foundation of the future space ecosystem by two complementary developments:
1- Functional Satellite Module Technology Maturation
2- DSSK: Design and Development Specification for Spacecraft Construction
The refuelling interface will be based in HOTDOCK, a standard interconnect that has already been successfully demonstrated in the MOSAR Project.
The space sector is currently going through a period of transformation, with private space players making inroads in the industry, banking their ambitions on affordable and modular space infrastructure that is serviceable and reconfigurable in space.
Applications such as life extension (by means of Orbital Replacement Units), refuelling, in-space assembly and reconfiguration, in-space recycling are promising New Space applications that are poised to be a profitable revenue opportunity by 2030.
